This invention relates to material transfer systems, and more particularly to a vacuum operated material transfer system which is particularly useful in conjunction with vibratory finishing machines.
At the present time vibratory finishing machines are utilized in industry to fabricate and finish a substantially limitless number of parts and products. In the use of such a machine, the parts or products to be treated are introduced into the hopper of the finishing machine together with a suitable media. A liquid such as water and/or a finishing agent may also be used. The machine is then actuated to vibrate the hopper and the contents thereof, whereby the media and the parts or products in the hopper are brought into repeated engagement with each other. In this manner the parts or products are fabricated or finished.
Tumbling barrels have also gained wide-spread acceptance in industry. This type of machine also employs a hopper which receives parts or products to be treated and a suitable media. The hopper is then rotated about a horizontal axis to repeatedly engage the media with the parts or products.
The types of media which are utilized in vibratory finishing machines and tumbling barrels vary almost as much as the products and parts which are operated upon. For example, the media may comprise such diverse materials as ceramic, plastic, metal, glass, wooden and various composite materials. Likewise, the media may comprise various diverse shapes such as balls, cones, disks, cylinders, triangles, stars, pyramids, polyforms, and other geometric shapes, as well as random shapes. It will be understood that at the completion of a particular operation in a vibratory finishing machine, it is often necessary to remove the media from the hopper of the machine and to replace the media with a different media formed from a different material and/or having a different shape.
The present invention comprises a material transfer system which is particularly adapted to transfer media to and from the hoppers of vibratory finishing machines, tumbling barrels and similar devices. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a column is supported in a vertical orientation by a base and supports a hopper. The hopper is of airtight construction, and a vacuum pump is connected to the interior of the hopper through the column.
The hopper may be divided into one or more compartments. If plural hopper compartments are used, the hopper is preferably rotatably supported on the column. Each hopper compartment is provided with an inlet port and an outlet port. A hose is provided for connection to the inlet port whereby media is drawn into the hopper compartment under the action of the vacuum pump. If the hopper is provided with more than one compartment, sealing apparatus is provided for the inlet ports not in use.
The discharge port is mounted in the bottom of the hopper to discharge media therefrom under the action of gravity. The discharge port is normally closed by a pivotally supported gate which also functions to seal the discharge port whenever vacuum is established within the hopper. The discharge port may also be provided with structure for directing liquid flowing therefrom to a drain.